Legacy Foundation reviews a year of successes, recognizes the Region’s change-makers at 33rd annual celebration

During the 33rd installment of its annual celebration on Tuesday, August 19, Legacy Foundation, the community foundation for Lake County, invited over 250 community leaders and business professionals to the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond. Attendees enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and live musical entertainment by Ev and Jay Entertainment and the River Forest High School Band.

One of the most exciting announcements was the reveal that, through the generosity of its donors and a matching gift from Lilly Endowment Inc., Legacy Foundation raised a total of $9,307,931 over the course of the past 18 months. This was the biggest fundraising campaign in Legacy Foundation’s history and has already helped the organization support 14 major projects in Lake County over the past year. $5.87 million of this sum will be put into Legacy Foundation’s unrestricted funds, which are used to support projects that strengthen Lake County and address community needs.

“I’m excited to celebrate all of the great things that Lake County has accomplished together over the past year,” Kelly Anoe, president and CEO of Legacy Foundation, said. “We have 250 of our closest friends here tonight. These are all people who care about Lake County, and I hope they feel inspired by what we’ve all achieved together.”

For the very first time, Anoe announced that Legacy Foundation will be launching Lake County’s very own chapter of the Press Forward initiative. This nationwide movement fosters strong connections between the public and local news sources. Legacy Foundation is kicking off this five-year commitment by sponsoring the Legacy Foundation Newsroom Internship program, which will provide interns with hands-on reporting experience in two local newsrooms.

Anoe also announced that, thanks to a $20 million Lilly Endowment grant, Legacy Foundation was able to partner with other northwest Indiana community foundations, Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) , and the National Park Service on a project called Northwest Indiana (NWI) Thrive. This initiative will see three NWI counties and 11 local municipalities linked through a series of trails and other connections. It will also feature the construction of artistic, interactive displays that educate about the natural history of the Dunes, local businesses, and other attractions.

Anoe shared the progress of the Community Heart & Soul program in Lake County, a nationally-recognized model that invites residents to take an active role in shaping where they live. Not only did Cedar Lake become the first Heart & Soul Community in Lake County last year when it was selected by Legacy Foundation, but also the first in the state. The program promotes productive community conversations and folds residents’ feedback into the community’s development plan, supporting the town as it strives to reach its fullest potential. Applications will open on September 1^st to select the next Lake County Heart & Soul community.

John Freyek, Legacy Foundation’s board of directors’ chair, emceed the third annual Heart of Lake County award presentation. These awards are given to individuals and organizations that were nominated for the positive charitable impact they have on the community. Each recipient is awarded $1,000 that they may give to the charity of their choice.

 “I’m very proud to be here tonight,” Freyek said. “I grew up in Lake County, and I am deeply proud of that fact as well. I hope everyone in attendance is proud of what Legacy Foundation is doing in this community. We are grateful for the part that each and every one of them plays in Lake County’s advancement.”

Dana Rifai, owner of Rifai Law Group and the recipient of the Gold Key Award, was recognized for her personal and professional commitment to charitable giving. She supports several nonprofit organizations including the Service League of Northwest Indiana and Opportunity Enterprises (OE). She was also recognized for her 11-year tenure as a member of the Legacy Foundation board of directors.

“This was very unexpected,” Rifai said. “I am so honored by it. I’m blessed to be able to help others and I appreciate the opportunity to interact with other people who are passionate about giving back. I support everything the Legacy Foundation does. They collect their funds from the community and they are very aware of the community’s needs. They’re a wonderful organization.”

Beth Casbon, private practice attorney at Komyatte & Casbon, PC, was given the Excellence in Nonprofit Board Leadership Award in recognition of her work as chair of the OE board of directors, a Catholic Charities Diocese of Gary board member, and the instrumental role she played in the Markiewicz Center capital campaign, a project that was supported by Legacy Foundation.

“This experience has been both surreal and humbling,” Casbon said. “I prefer to stay out of the spotlight, but this brings attention to the organizations that I serve. I’m willing to take one for the team this time, so to speak. It’s always been difficult to raise money for nonprofits and it’s only getting harder. Legacy Foundation does an excellent job filling the gaps in our community that are caused by lack of funding.”

Centier Bank received the Corporate Philanthropy Award in recognition of its 30-year run of supporting Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana and extensive support of other local nonprofits. In the past year alone, Centier Bank employees worked a collective 28,000 volunteer hours. Centier Bank has pioneered a unique approach to volunteerism by allowing its employees to volunteer during work hours. Dakita Jones, vice president and director of community relations at Centier Bank, accepted the award on behalf of her colleagues.

“This is an absolute honor for us,” Jones said. “Legacy Foundation sets itself apart from the rest when it comes to philanthropic activity in the Region. To be honored by them sets Centier Bank apart as well. Our goal is to enrich the lives of the people in our community and this indicates to us that we are moving in the right direction.”

Dr. Michael McGee, president of medical staff and medical director of the University of Chicago’s Crown Point emergency medicine department, was given the Community Spirit Award in recognition of his volunteerism at the Lake County Juvenile Center and the work he has done as a co-founder of Project Outreach and Prevention, a program that promotes violence prevention and youth health awareness.

“It feels great to be recognized on such a large scale,” McGee said. “This is one of the first big awards we’ve received since we first started in 2016. Our hope is that this will give us some exposure and potentially prompt more people to support us. My job is being an emergency room doctor, but my passion is preventing violence in the lives of local youth. That’s what it’s all about and what drives me.”

Please visit legacyfdn.org to learn more about the work that Legacy Foundation is doing here in the Region.